Dome Peak wildfire swells to 770 acres east of Darrington

DARRINGTON — Weeks after it sparked, a fire burning about 30 miles east of Darrington “grew considerably” to 770 acres, spewing smoke around the region alongside other wildfires in the North Cascades.

The Dome Peak fire was first spotted July 29 and was believed to be caused by lightning in the Glacier Peak Wilderness, according to the Darrington Ranger District. It was burning in about the most isolated spot on the map in Snohomish County, near the southern terminus of a 35-mile off-trail climbing route known as the Ptarmigan Traverse. On Wednesday, no trails or roads were closed. Officials hadn’t ordered any evacuations.

The fire, just south of Dome Peak, had held steady at 30 acres or less for weeks. Rangers had been monitoring it with helicopters and cameras.

No firefighting staff was expected to respond unless it directly threatened the Pacific Crest Trail, said Kit Moffitt, deputy fire staff officer for the Forest Service. The trail was about 5 rugged miles from the flames, as the ptarmigan flies, on Wednesday. Officials expected the fire to grow significantly overnight and indefinitely into the future, with no major rain in the forecast.

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/dome-peak-wildfire-swells-to-770-acres-east-of-darrington/